Historical FICTION ages 8+

It is 1942. Billie witnesses a Spitfire crash, but when she returns to the site, the plane has disappeared. She infiltrates the local airfield, and is mistaken for a cadet.

Will Billie tell the truth and get thrown out of flying school? Can she save the life, of her favourite chicken who has stopped laying eggs? Is one of her fellow ATA pilots a Nazi spy?!

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Download teacher's notes for classroom

-FAQ-

+ Is the book funny?

Yes, if you like chickens.

+ Did women really fly spitfires in WWII?

They didn't fly the planes in battle, but they delivered them to the Royal Air Force for the men to fight. They also took them back when they needed repairs, so they were falling apart as they flew them.

+ Were women allowed to fly other planes?

Yes, but it took a while. To begin with (in 1939) women were only allowed to deliver small training aircraft like Tiger Moths to RAF flight schools. Then, when there were not enough men to cover all the deliveries, women were allowed to fly faster, more difficult planes. It wasn't until 1943 they were allowed to fly the heaviest, four engined planes like the British Short Stirling or the American B-24 Liberators.

+ Did you draw the cover?

No, I'm not THAT clever. The cover is by Helena Perez Garcia.

+ Where can I learn more about the women pilots?

There is a Museum and archive at Maidenhead Heritage Centre with lots of pictures and even interviews with the pilots. atamuseum.org

+ Was it just British women delivering the planes?

No! There were men and women from all over the world who delivered planes for the allies. There were even American women who helped before America joined the war! The ATA was a civillian organisation so it welcomed pilots with any experience and even trained newbies. Some of the male pilots were too old to fly into battle or on bombing raids. Others wore glasses, or only had one arm!

+ What does the ATA stand for?

A lot of pilots joked that it meant 'Ancient and Tattered Airmen' because there were so many old and disabled pilots. Others quipped it meant 'Anything To Anywhere' because they delivered all sorts of planes all over Britian and later, allied occupied Europe. It really means Air Transport Auxiliary.

+ Was it dangerous working for the ATA?

It was. Lots of people died. During the war, 1250 men and women from 25 countries ferried a total of 309,000 aircraft of 147 different types, without radios, with no instrument flying instruction and at the mercy of the British weather. Often they were presented with a type of plane they had never seen before. Many experienced pilots like Amy Johnson perished due to the difficult conditions.

+ I'm scared of flying, should I read this book?

I'm scared of flying too! I found writing this book really helped me understand how flying works and that made it a lot less scary. Billie gets herself in all sort of situations and I based each one on REAL LIFE scenarios that real pilots found themselves in. It turns out that pilots understand their aircraft very well and they do lots of scary things (like go into a dive if the engine stops working) which actually keep you safe. Also remember a lot of the planes in this book have come from battle, and aren't as well looked after as planes that we fly in today.

+ Why couldn't Billie just buy some eggs?

During the war, eggs (as well as a lot of other things like meat and clothes and cheese) were rationed. Rationing meant you had a limited amount of coupons that you could buy stuff with. This meant even if you were really rich and could afford anything, unless you had the coupons you were not allowed to buy it. Of course that meant there were a lot of people selling things without coupons illegally and there was lots of money to be made on what they called 'The Black Market'.